Jeff and Linda
Wedding, July 10, 2004
Linda Careatti (Shultz) This was the best day of my life, July 10, 2004, when I married Jeff. We have 7 grown children between us, (me, 3 boys, Jeff, 2 boys, 2 girls). All of our children were part of our wedding which was at our home. We have 5 grandchildren and one more due the first week in April. Jeff has supported me so much this last month with my surgery. The "keeper of the stars" knew what he was doing when he joined these two hearts.
Am I The Only One Who Cries...
22 March 2006
On Feb 22, 2006 my headache that I've been having, just wouldn't go away. Then my speech got slurred, facial numbness, right arm numbness, something is wrong? Called my son told him to met me, I was at work, that I need to go to the Emergency Room.
Hershey Medical Center is a wonderful facility. I arrived and was taken right back to treatment rooms. CAT scan was remarkable, neurologist called in said there is something wrong and ordered an MRI. That showed a a large aneurysm behind the left eye. This was a shock.
I have been going to my family doctor regarding headaches and he said I had stress. Didn't do any tests, he just said it's stress. But I did disagree and refused to take depression medicine. Why don't doctors believe the patient? It's our body, we know when something is wrong.
I was sent for an angiogram which showed this large aneurysm was passing clots and I was having mini stokes, and there is another aneurysm, smaller on the right side of the brain.
For 5 days I was put on blood thinners to prepare for the surgery. I then had a left cavernous aneurysm balloon test occlusion and GDC coiling. This surgery went fine, with no problems. I was transferred to intensive care. When I became alert I realized my left eye had like double, blurred vision. Doctors said this will go away when the swelling goes down. They gave me a patch for over this eye.
I was very lucky, within 3 days I was sent home.
I'm depressed now, is this normal? My sight isn't any better and it's scares me. Will I never be able to see from that eye? And the headaches, will they ever go away? Can anyone help me with these questions?
I have to go back and have the second aneurysm operated on, and that has me so afraid. It's the other side on my brain, so will my sight be bad on both sides?
The fear is the worse with this. Not knowing what's normal and what's not. I call the doctor almost everyday with questions. Hope they don't mind, but I'm afraid and need support.
If anyone out there can help me with understanding if these things are normal or not I would greatly appreciate your help.
Am I the only one who cries so much being so afraid? And from what I read I was so lucky with no rupture, but it don't help the fear.
Thank you.
Update: 10 May 2006
Today (May 9) was my appointment with my neurosurgeon. My second aneurysm is scheduled for coiling May 24. He told me it's only about 7 or 8 mm so it should be easier then the last one. But with the last coiling he completely closed my left carotid artery, so my only blood supply is the right artery, which they will be using for the coiling. The surgeon said there's a risk if something happens to the right artery, but I need to have the surgery because with the left side closed the right is getting more blood and probably growing faster.
I also went to the specialist for my double/blurred sight on the left. He told me the optic nerve was injured during surgery and there is nothing that can be done. He said I should be glad that's the only problem from that surgery.
I know this surgery is needed, because aneruysms don't just disappear, they only grow. But I am afraid, which I know is normal and I wanted each of you who have emailed me to know I appreciate all the support.
Update: 29 May 2006
I'm HOME!! Had my second surgery on Wed, May 24, and it all went well. The surgeon said the base was large so the coils wouldn't stay in place, they had to put a stent and coils in. The hard part was when they placed the Angio-Seal Device in both my groins, it hurt so bad. But they did let my husband stay with me and hold me which helped a lot.
I spend 3 days in ICU, then discharged to home. It's amazing how they get you in, fix you and ship you out so fast. But I'm home and so happy to be here.
My sight is the same, blurred from the first surgery, so far this surgery isn't causing any problems. Major headache, which I expected. But that's what my pain pills are for, to get me through this.
I want to thank everyone for all the prayers, support, and emails I received. This is a wonderful family to belong to and I am so happy I found each and every one of you. It really helped me so very much talking to someone who has been thought this, you all really do understand.
Now I get to finally return to work. I don't think I'm returning as fast as the surgeon thinks I should. He said Monday, which is tomorrow, and it's Memorial Day. I think I need a couple more weeks to get my strength up and to get off all the drugs they put me on. Advise? Should I just jump back to work or do it slow?
I do have to have angio's every 6 months but I think I can deal with that. Thanks for all the support!
Update: 31 May 2006
I wanted to thank everyone for their advise on "returning to work" too soon. Everyone was so supportive and all the answers were the same, "do not rush yourself, heal first". That is exactly what I am planning on doing.
I have another question for the family. Has anyone and/or everyone had problems with high sugar after surgery? I never had problems with sugar prior, no diabetics in my family, but after both surgeries my sugar count went up. When I was discharged, from ICU to home this time, my sugar was 274 and they were giving me insulin injections. I asked about what do to when I go home and was told it would get better as I go off the steriods so do nothing. I noticed this morning, then later in the day when my eyesight got very distorted and my headache was violent I would get something to eat and both sight and headache got better. I am calling my family physician tomorrow regarding this, but I just wondered if others have had this problem and how long to expect it to last? Also if anyone had long term problems with sugar after their surgery. Having just the regular problems is a strain on a body, both physically and emotionally. But wondering if I will end up taking insulin also is scary.
The family keeps asking what type of work I'd be returning to because that makes a difference. I don't do any manual labor. I got to use my brain! I am a Quality Assurance Coordinator and audit claims, phone calls, pricing for a Blue Cross/Shield Insurance Company. So I do spend 8 hours or more a day in front of a computer, reading, reading, reading and figuring if payments were correctly applied. So I do need to have my "wits" about me and with blurred vision that is hard. I enjoy my work so much and I was always very good at it. Now I'm afraid that I'll miss something very important, or not see the numbers correctly. I also have to make quick judgement calls on if something, like a phone call from a member or hospital was handled correctly. It scares me, what if I forget, what if my heads starts pounding and my sight distorts something?
My employer is granting me the short-term disability, which is great. But I need to have the surgeon support my need to be on the disability. Most people have this problem the other way.
I am still in a lot of pain, on a lot of meds, but the email support that I am getting from my new found family is the BEST! Thank you all, each and every email is read and reread. And when I cry now it's usually tears of happiness knowing I have this family. God Bless each and everyone of you!
Discussion, comments, or questions: Linda Shultz
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